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Stop Loss and Found

post #1 of 11
Thread Starter 
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N15312247.htm
Quote:
Canada deports U.S. deserter who opposes Iraq War 15 Jul 2008 20:04:21 GMT
Source: Reuters
By Allan Dowd

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 15 (Reuters) - Canada deported on Tuesday the first of some 200 Americans who deserted the U.S. military and sought refugee status to protest against the Iraq War.

Robin Long, 25, was removed a day after a Federal Court judge in Vancouver rejected his claim that he would suffer irreparable harm if returned to the United States. He fled across the border in 2005 as his army tank unit was preparing to deploy to Iraq.

The Canada Border Services Agency confirmed Long's removal, but declined to give other details, citing privacy laws. Long's refugee claim had already been rejected and he could not appeal Monday's court ruling.

The issue of U.S. deserters has evoked memories of Canada's acceptance of tens of thousands of draft dodgers and deserters during the Vietnam War. But it has also exposed a political split in the country -- even within its courts -- over what role it should play today.

Ottawa has deployed soldiers in Afghanistan but has refused to participate in the U.S.-led war in Iraq.

Long's supporters staged a small demonstration on Tuesday at the Peace Arch border crossing south of Vancouver.

"We may be small, but we represent a large body of people who disagree with what happened," said Sarah Bjorknas of the War Resisters Support Campaign.

Opponents of granting refugee status to deserters argue that, unlike during the Vietnam War, the United States does not now have a military draft and members of its military are volunteers who know the potential risks.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper's minority Conservative government has ignored a nonbinding motion passed by opposition parties in the House of Commons last month that would have allowed the Iraq deserters to stay.

Long and others have argued it was only after they had joined the military that they decided the U.S. government had lied to the public about the reasons for the Iraq War, and they were refusing to fight in an illegal conflict.

The Supreme Court of Canada refused last year to hear the appeals of two U.S. deserters whose applications for refugee status were turned down by immigration authorities.

But Federal Courts in Ontario this month temporarily blocked the removal of two deserters, including Joshua Key who the court said did not get a proper immigration hearing on his claim that the Iraq War was unjust.

Long's supporters had argued he should not be deported until the conflicting court rulings were resolved.

It is unknown how many Iraq War deserters have moved to Canada, but peace groups have said they know of about 200 people seeking refugee status. It is estimated that more than 50,000 war resisters moved to Canada during the Vietnam era.

Long fled to Nelson, British Columbia, an area of the Pacific Coast province where many Vietnam War resisters decided to remain even after Washington granted amnesty in 1977. (Editing by Rob Wilson)
I don't know if he was really stop lossed, but I recently saw the movie and felt it was a catchy title.

Curious what people think of this.. I'm a bit indifferent.
post #2 of 11
I have a hard time feeling bad for people who signed up for the U.S. military and then want to leave early when things get too REAL.
post #3 of 11
"When I joined the Army and learned to drive a tank, I didn;t think I'd have to kill people!"
post #4 of 11


They would be so disappointed.
post #5 of 11
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wee-Bey View Post
I have a hard time feeling bad for people who signed up for the U.S. military and then want to leave early when things get too REAL.
I guess it depends on your definition of 'real'.


As for Snaike's indifference, that probably means this is an important topic. Makes you wonder why he started the thread, though.
post #6 of 11
One could say there may be an ideological difference between signing up to go to war to defend America, and going to war for Halliburton.
You ll have to realize that soldiers do have brains (though we tend to leave them at the barracks gates until we head out at the weekend again) and usually far superior sources of information about anything the army is involved in than civilians that dont try to dig around for it real hard.
Thus when the army is misused to strongarm a country into selling its natural resources, these people may just be that little bit annoyed.
When I did sign up, I did so with the expectation that I would be used responsibly by my superiors, at least in the big picture. I suppose a lot of american soldiers dont consider the war in iraq anything short of what it is, a war of aggression for territorial and resource control.
post #7 of 11
Thread Starter 
I saw the article and thought the title would be catchy and cool.

More so I was curious what people thought. I am simply curious what other people have to say on the subject, perhaps people with a more worldly experience or at least with a different perspective.
post #8 of 11
Quote:
Originally Posted by Khaunshar View Post
One could say there may be an ideological difference between signing up to go to war to defend America, and going to war for Halliburton.
You ll have to realize that soldiers do have brains (though we tend to leave them at the barracks gates until we head out at the weekend again) and usually far superior sources of information about anything the army is involved in than civilians that dont try to dig around for it real hard.
Thus when the army is misused to strongarm a country into selling its natural resources, these people may just be that little bit annoyed.
When I did sign up, I did so with the expectation that I would be used responsibly by my superiors, at least in the big picture. I suppose a lot of american soldiers dont consider the war in iraq anything short of what it is, a war of aggression for territorial and resource control.
But you don't get to choose the battles you fight once you are in the miltary. If that were the case, every solidier would be second guessing every order to deploy.

Also, you can be in the military in non-combantant roles (medical corps etc) if you have strong religious or ethical problems with fighting per se.

I also know solidiers who are absolutely convinced they are doing a good thing by being in Iraq ...
post #9 of 11
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cylon Baby View Post
But you don't get to choose the battles you fight once you are in the miltary. If that were the case, every solidier would be second guessing every order to deploy.
This is really important. One of the strengths of our system is that the military is not a political force per se. Government leaders don't have to ask, "But will the mlitary support it?" when they make a decision.

Having said that, military members do have an obligation to support and defend the constitution, and that includes saying "no" to an unlawful order. Those members then need to be ready to defend that choice when they're standing at the wrong end of the long table.

I can respect a soldier who'll say, "I'll go to the stockade before I'll go to Iraq." I can't respect one who bugs out for Canada.

Stockade. That's what they call it in the Army, right?
post #10 of 11
Quote:
Originally Posted by FrankCobretti View Post
I can respect a soldier who'll say, "I'll go to the stockade before I'll go to Iraq." I can't respect one who bugs out for Canada.
Well said.

And it's the brig in the Navy. Not that I've ever been in it or anything... hey what's that over there? <points, runs away..>
post #11 of 11
The Airforce call it The Birdcage.*






*lie
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